Joshua 7:16-26

Achan Judged

16 Joshua got up early the next morning. He had Israel come forward tribe by tribe, and the tribe of Judah was selected.
17 He had the clans of Judah come forward, and the Zerahite clan was selected. He had the Zerahite clan come forward by heads of families,[a] and Zabdi was selected.
18 He then had Zabdi's family come forward man by man, and Achan son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was selected.
19 So Joshua said to Achan, "My son, give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, and make a confession to Him.[b] I urge you, tell me what you have done. Don't hide anything from me."
20 Achan replied to Joshua, "It is true. I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what I did:
21 When I saw among the spoils a beautiful cloak from Babylon,[c] 200 silver shekels,[d] and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels,[e] I coveted them and took them. You can see for yourself. They are concealed in the ground inside my tent, with the money under the cloak."
22 So Joshua sent messengers who ran to the tent, and there was the cloak, concealed in his tent, with the money underneath.
23 They took the things from inside the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites, and spread them out in the Lord's presence.
24 Then Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the cloak, and the bar of gold, his sons and daughters, his ox, donkey, and sheep, his tent, and all that he had, and brought them up to the Valley of Achor.
25 Joshua said, "Why have you troubled us? Today the Lord will trouble you!" So all Israel stoned him to death. They burned their bodies,[f] threw stones on them,
26 and raised over him a large pile of rocks that remains to this day. Then the Lord turned from His burning anger. Therefore that place has been called the Valley of Achor[g] to this day.

Joshua 7:16-26 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 7

For the trespass of Achan the children of Israel were smitten and put to flight by the men of Ai, Jos 7:1-5; which gave him and the elders of the people great concern, both for Israel and for the name of the Lord, which was expressed by Joshua in prayer to God, Jos 7:6-9; when the Lord informed him of the reason of it, and gave him directions for finding out the guilty person, and for the punishment of him, Jos 7:10-15; which directions Joshua followed, and the person was found out, who being urged to a confession made one, Jos 7:16-21; upon which he and all he had, with the things he had taken, were burnt with fire, Jos 7:22-26.

Footnotes 7

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